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Azerbaijan Airlines Crash Investigation Underway; Convicted Murderer Who Escaped Mississippi Prison Captured; Pope Francis' Christmas Day Message; 2024's Biggest Entertainment Moments. Aired 4- 4:30a ET
Aired December 26, 2024 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A plane was circling the airfield somewhat erratically before the crash, then bursting into flames.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): All versions are being explored in the criminal case. At this moment, we cannot provide any conclusions regarding the investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Less than 24 hours after going on the run, Drew Johnson was taken into custody. According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections, he did not get very far.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From big stars in big legal trouble to big movies, concerts and a brat summer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think you aspire to be brat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I will aspire to be brat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Christina Macfarlane.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from around the world. I'm Max Foster. It is Thursday, December the 26th, 9 a.m. here in London, 2 p.m. in western Kazakhstan, where investigators are looking for clues into what could have caused the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight killing at least 38 people.
Russia's aviation watchdog reports the pilot tried to make an emergency landing after a bird strike. Azerbaijan state news says the plane's black box has been recovered. The flight was headed from Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in Chechnya. Twenty nine people survived the crash. All were taken to hospital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) FARID HUSEYNOV, HEAD OF PRESS SERVICE, AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES (through translator): A medical team and necessary medical equipment have been sent to Kazakhstan by air. A hotline has been established for the family members of the passengers on board and the public has been informed about it. Psychological support will be provided to the family members of all passengers, regardless of nationality, as well as to the injured passengers.
KENAN ZEYNALOV, SENIOR PROSECUTOR OF PRESS SERVICE, PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE (through translator): Currently, the investigation process is ongoing in cooperation with the prosecutor's office of Kazakhstan. All versions are being explored in the criminal case. At this moment, we cannot provide any conclusions regarding the investigation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Well, video from on board the plane shows oxygen masks deployed as the plane circled the airfield in western Kazakhstan. Nada's been watching this because, I mean, everyone's so intrigued by what might have happened. We can talk about that in a second in terms of the investigation, but also the fact that people managed to survive.
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. It is remarkable to see that dramatic footage of the of the plane crashing into the ground, bursting into flames as it did crash into the ground. It is remarkable that there were survivors.
We've seen that dramatic footage of rescue workers immediately at the scene and eyewitnesses as injured passengers were essentially being pulled out of the wreckage of the sort of back half of the plane, the tail end of the plane. And now, according to officials, at least we know that 29 people survived, including two children. They've all been taken to hospital, of course, for immediate medical attention.
At least 11 people are said to be in a critical condition. So we will be waiting for updates from officials on their status. But, of course, dozens were killed, at least 38 confirmed dead by officials.
And there have been questions around the sort of what led to this crash. We've seen that video of the plane essentially circling the airfield ahead of what appears to have been an attempt to make that emergency landing just about two miles from the Kazakh city of Aktau.
And, of course, we have also heard from the Russian aviation authorities saying they believe preliminary information suggests this was caused by a bird strike. But we know that investigations are still ongoing.
FOSTER: Yes, I mean, the people are making a lot of, you know, the damage to the aircraft and how that could have been caused by a bird strike. So people are desperate to know.
BASHIR: Absolutely. And we've heard from officials, the Kazakh government has said that it has set up a commission now to carry out an immediate investigation into the cause of the crash. There have been some questions around the flight path taken by the plane on its route.
There have also been questions around drone activity in the area as well. We know that drone activity has shut down airports in the past in this region. This crash essentially came shortly after a drone strike hit southern Russia.
And there have been some questions around whether or not that may have played a part in leading to this crash. Of course, these are all still very much questions. We don't have the firm answers yet from that black box.
[04:05:00]
Information will be crucial to this investigation, of course, and we'll be keeping an eye on what happens.
FOSTER: Who would lead the investigation in this situation?
BASHIR: At this stage, the Kazakh government has set up a commission. We know that the airliner is also sending in a team into the country to support in that investigation. But, of course, then it becomes a question of whether this turns into perhaps a criminal case or whether this is an aviation fault that they're looking at. So lots of questions still up in the air on that front.
FOSTER: OK, Nada, thank you so much.
And just in to CNN, at least 14 law enforcement personnel were killed in western Syria overnight in what's been called an ambush by former forces of deposed leader Bashar al-Assad. That's according to the country's new interior ministry.
It happened hours after the current military said its forces had killed a number of former Assad fighters in the same area. The new government has set a deadline for former regime forces and gangs to disarm less than three weeks after rebels advanced on Damascus and forced Assad to flee the country.
Hospital officials in Gaza say five journalists were killed in an Israeli military operation overnight. The journalists were sleeping in a vehicle parked outside the Al-Ada Hospital in northern Gaza when the vehicle was hit by an Israeli strike. The vehicle belonged to a Gaza- based television channel affiliated with the Palestine Islamic Jihad militant group. Footage shows the vehicle in flames, with the words TV and press visible on the back doors.
The Israeli military confirmed it carried out a strike on what it called an Islamic Jihad terror cell in the area, but didn't provide any proof for their allegation.
On Wednesday, Hamas and Israel traded blame for the failure to reach a ceasefire on hostage release deal. Israel's defense minister insists there will be no deal without a secure Gaza.
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ISRAEL KATZ, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): We will ensure here in Gaza, as with Lebanon, as with Syria and in the east, that no more threats will be created against Israeli communities, citizens of the state of Israel and IDF soldiers. In Gaza, too, we will ensure that there are security spaces, buffer zones and command posts that will ensure the security of the communities. And with all this, we will act to achieve the two goals of the war, to release all the kidnapped people home and to defeat Hamas.
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FOSTER: The families of the hostages in Gaza are marking the second Hanukkah without their loved ones. Thousands of people attended a protest on the holiday's first night, demanding the Israeli government strike a deal to release the remaining 100 captives. The mother of hostage, Liri Albag, lit the first Hanukkah candle and led prayers for the hostages' immediate return.
Afghanistan's Taliban government is threatening retaliation after a wave of Pakistani airstrikes in that country. The Taliban says at least 46 people were killed and six others injured when Pakistani warplanes hit four locations near the border on Tuesday. Pakistan isn't commenting on the strikes, but one official says the target was the Pakistani Taliban, which aims to impose Islamic law in Pakistan. It says the militant group has been staging cross-border attacks from Afghanistan, which the Afghan Taliban denies.
Authorities in Hawaii investigating after a body was found in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane. It had flown from Chicago to Maui on Christmas Eve, and the body was discovered after the plane landed.
The airline says the wheel well is only accessible from outside the plane, and it's not clear how or when the person got in there. It's also unclear how they ultimately died, though both temperatures and oxygen levels plummet during the flight. While unusual, this is still a common method for stowaways trying to reach a destination.
U.S. aviation authorities say more than three quarters of people who've tried to hitch an illegal ride on an airplane have died.
Now, in the U.S. state of Mississippi, the manhunt is over for a convicted murderer who broke out of prison on Christmas Eve. The 33- year-old convict has a lengthy history of violence both in and outside of jail.
CNN's Nick Valencia has the details.
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NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Less than 24 hours after going on the run, Drew Johnson was taken into custody. And according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections, he did not get very far, found very near the South Mississippi Correctional Institution, where he had escaped from on Tuesday afternoon. Now, that's Mississippi's newest prison facility, so it's not entirely
clear how Johnson was able to maneuver out of it. But given his violent past, prison officials were very concerned and very eager to get him back into custody. It was in 2016 that Johnson was convicted of murdering a friend. That friend's body found buried in a field with more than two dozen stab wounds.
Once he was taken into custody, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said that Johnson attempted to murder an inmate, later pleading guilty to attempted first-degree murder. And his violent streak did not end there. The Shelby County District Attorney's Office said he tried to burn the jail down twice.
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Now, prison officials in Mississippi were pleading to stay vigilant around the Christmas holiday, a time, they say, that people tend to let their guard down and be a little bit more generous. Thankfully, a Christmas gift for the region and a big sigh of relief for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.
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FOSTER: Still to come, Ukraine is reeling from Christmas Day attacks on its energy sector, which has drawn strong condemnation from the U.S. president.
Plus, prayers for peace in Ukraine and beyond as Pope Francis delivers his Christmas Day message.
You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
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FOSTER: U.S. President Joe Biden has condemned a massive wave of Christmas Day strikes on Ukraine. He said the purpose of Russia's outrageous attack was to cut off Ukrainian people's access to heat and electricity during winter. He added the Ukrainian people deserve to live in peace and safety. And that he directed his defense department to continue its surge of arms deliveries to Kyiv.
Ukraine says at least one person was killed and six wounded in Russia's assault on its power grid. Hundreds of thousands of homes were left without electricity which led to emergency blackouts in several regions.
Right now temperatures are hovering around freezing in some parts of the affected cities including Kyiv and Kharkiv. Ukraine's president is welcoming in the Hanukkah holiday with a renewed call for peace. Volodymyr Zelenskyy took part in a candle lighting ceremony with leaders of Ukraine's Jewish community.
The chief rabbi of the Dnipro region gave a blessing and said the Hanukkah candles remind Ukraine that light will prevail over darkness and evil will soon be defeated.
Music filled St. Peter's Square before Pope Francis delivered his annual Christmas Day message. The 88-year-old pontiff called for peace in the Middle East describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as extremely grave.
Pope Francis also called for weapons to be laid down in Ukraine again pushing for a peace deal. All this comes as the Catholic Church begins its jubilee year as CNN's Christopher Lamb reports.
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CHRISTOPHER LAMB, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Pope Francis emphasizing that the Christmas message is one of peace and reconciliation. Calling on countries to lay down their arms and for enemies to be reconciled. Francis making specific reference to the war in Ukraine and in Gaza.
This is what he had to say.
POPE FRANCIS (through translator): May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter in order to achieve a just and lasting peace. May the sound of arms be silenced in the Middle East.
LAMB: The Pope's remarks in Ukraine coming after Russia's attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Christmas Day. The Pope has repeatedly called for a negotiated peace settlement to end Russia's war against Ukraine. He's also been outspoken recently on what's been going on in Gaza calling recent airstrikes cruelty and also being in regular contact with the Catholic community in Gaza.
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Now Pope Francis making his remarks after launching the Catholic Church's jubilee year. An ancient tradition that focuses on forgiveness and pilgrimage in which began on Christmas Eve when Pope Francis opened the doors of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. Normally cemented shut the door meant to represent God's mercy.
The Pope said and that Francis is hoping that the message of the jubilee can be one of hope and one that can impact not just in Rome but globally. Now Francis is 88 years old. He's got a packed schedule of events during the jubilee. He'll be opening a holy door in a prison tomorrow, Thursday, the first time the Holy Door has been opened in a prison.
Nevertheless despite the difficulties the Pope has when it comes to his physical mobility. Francis determined to carry out the celebrations of the jubilee and hoping that the message that the jubilee represents will resonate across the globe.
Christopher Lamb, CNN, London.
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FOSTER: Superstar Beyonce brings a white Christmas to the NFL. We'll have highlights from her halftime performance next.
Plus, from box office blockbusters to the birth of the Brat summer. We'll look back on the top entertainment stories of 2024.
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FOSTER: 2024 saw some box office blockbusters and pop superstars making headlines as well as the birth of all things Brat. CNN's Elizabeth Wagmeister counts down the top 10 entertainment stories of the year.
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ELIZABETH WAGMEISTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: From big stars in big legal trouble to big movies, concerts and a Brat summer. Our top 10 entertainment stories start with a wicked boost at the box office.
Number 10, the Glick and pairing of "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" form this year's Barbenheimer.
With over one hundred and fifty million dollars in opening weekend ticket sales, the two films energized the typically slow post-summer box office. "Wicked" starring Golden Globe nominees Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo stayed strong through the holiday season, while "Gladiator II" excelled overseas. The pair set the table for the Thanksgiving box office, with "Moana II" joining to set an all time record for the holiday weekend.
Number nine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe now people can understand the truth.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Television takes on the Menendez brothers case, pushing prosecutors to take action.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that they have paid their debt to society.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The then Los Angeles district attorney said public attention factored into his decision to reexamine the case and recommend a reduced sentence that would allow the brothers to walk free. Nearly three decades after they were sentenced for murdering their parents in Beverly Hills. The Hollywood production spotlighted abuse the brothers say they endured at the hands of their father, with even some of the victim's family members calling for them to be released.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thirty five years is a long time.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Ultimately, the judge delayed a decision while a newly elected district attorney reviews the case.
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Number eight. The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This may be the hip hop equivalent of asking to speak with the manager.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): In November, Drake filed a court petition accusing a record company of using bots to artificially inflate Lamar song "Not Like Us" on Spotify. It's the latest chapter in the ongoing feud between two of the industry's biggest names who once toured together as rising stars.
WAGMEISTER: Each claims the other diss them in song lyrics with one question at the heart of the feud. Who is hip hop's biggest star?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who would have thought it would potentially end in a courtroom?
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number seven.
A pop star ignites a Brat summer. Charlie XCX album "Brat" not only storms the charts, it propels an online political movement. With that description, the singer declared Kamala is brat on social media, spotting a torrent of memes that kicked off Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential run and a lot of questions amongst a certain generation.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: So it's the idea that we're all kind of brat and Vice President Harris is brat. I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I don't know.
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: I don't think you aspire to be brat. You don't just become brat.
TAPPER: I will. I will aspire to be brat.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number six. Alec Baldwin's courtroom shocker.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dismissal with prejudice is warranted.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): A judge dismissed the case against the actor accused of involuntary manslaughter when the gun he was holding on the "Rust" movie set fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding the film's director. The judge's decision came less than a week into the trial, citing the prosecution's improper handling of new evidence in the case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bobby!
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The ruling paved the way for Baldwin to return to the limelight, appearing on Saturday Night Live as former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Number five. Charges filed in the death of Matthew Perry.
Two doctors and Perry's assistant are among five people charged in connection with his overdose death. One of the doctors allegedly said, quote, I wonder how much this moron will pay for ketamine prescriptions.
WAGMEISTER: Three people have pleaded guilty. One of the doctors is awaiting trial, along with an alleged dealer prosecutors say is known as the Ketamine Queen.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The Perry family relieved that charges were filed nearly a year after the beloved actor died in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People who have put themselves in the business of supplying people with the drugs that will kill them. They are now on notice. It doesn't matter what your professional credentials are. You're going down, baby.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number four. Beyonce goes country.
BEYONCE, SINGER, SONGWRITER: This ain't Texas. Ain't no holdin'.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The superstar bends genres with the release of "Cowboy Carter," which debuted at number one, including on the Billboard Country chart, making Beyonce the first black woman to do so in the chart's 60 year history.
BEYONCE: Let me make myself clear.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Beyonce's mega year wraps with what some call the second Super Bowl. A halftime performance on Christmas Day during the NFL's first ever games to stream worldwide on Netflix.
Number three. The death of pop star Liam Payne.
Fans held vigils for days in Argentina, where Payne fell three stories from his hotel balcony.
LIAM PAYNE, SINGER: You're insecure. Don't know what for.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): The 31 year old British pop star rose to fame in the boy band One Direction. He went on to have a solo career and spoke openly about his struggles dealing with fame and substance abuse.
PAYNE: I was like, I need to fix myself.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Toxicology reports found cocaine, alcohol and prescription antidepressants in Payne's system. With more than 70 million One Direction albums sold, Payne's impact on fans was undeniable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So for me, it feels like, I guess, like the end of like us growing up together, which is really that's what makes it so hard.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Number two. The end of the era's tour for Taylor Swift.
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER, SONGWRITER: Are you ready for it? WAGMEISTER: The nearly two year tour wrapped in Vancouver on December 8th. Estimated to have made over two billion dollars, it's by far the most successful concert tour of all time. Not only that, she released a new hit album, "The Tortured Poets Department."
All this and she's still the darling of the NFL. Cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce in February to yet another Super Bowl victory for the Kansas City Chiefs.
And the number one entertainment story of 2024. The fall of music mogul Sean Diddy Combs.
After a flood of civil lawsuits alleging Combs sexually assaulted dozens of people, federal investigated the stars homes signaling a federal indictment was imminent.
[04:25:02]
Then CNN released this video of Combs assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at a hotel in 2016.
The shocking video prompted Combs to speak out for the first time since he came under fire.
SEAN DIDDY COMBS, MUSIC MOGUL: I mean, I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): But it only got worse for Combs with a September federal indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The case is sending shockwaves through the music industry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The names that we're going to name are names that will shock you.
WAGMEISTER (voice-over): Jay-Z was named in a civil suit alleging he assaulted a 13 year old girl with Combs in 2000. Charges he vigorously denies, questioning why there was never a criminal charge.
WAGMEISTER: Combs has also denied all of the allegations against him, saying he never sexually assaulted anyone.
His criminal trial is set for May of 2025 and he faces at least 30 civil suits, ensuring that Combs is legal troubles could be big news for years to come.
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FOSTER: Thanks to entertainment correspondent Elizabeth Wagmeister for that.
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(BEYONCE PERFORMS AT CHRISTMAS DAY NFL GAME)
(END VIDEO CLIP) FOSTER: A rousing performance there by Beyonce on Christmas Day during halftime of the NFL's game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens. She began the show on horseback before kicking off a medley of hits. And it's the first time she's performed songs from her album Cowboy Carter in front of a live crowd.
Beyonce was joined by several country singers and a surprise appearance by rapper Post Malone to perform their song "Levi's Jeans."
She dazzled in all white, of course, in her hometown of Houston. And the mini concert also became a family affair when she was joined on the field by her daughter, Blue Ivy, who danced next to her mother during the song "Texas Hold 'Em."
Thanks for joining us here on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Max Foster in London.
"QUEST'S WORLD OF WONDER" up next after a quick break.
